The present disclosure generally relates to a measurement system adapted for measuring at least one wind turbine operational parameter. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a measurement system adapted for measuring an operational parameter of at least one rotor blade of the wind turbine. Furthermore, the present disclosure relates to a method for measuring a rotational position of said rotor blade.
Wind turbines have been gaining increasing importance as environmentally safe and reliable energy sources. Wind turbines typically have long maintenance intervals, where in many cases maintenance is focused on a repair of at least one rotor blade of the wind turbine. Rotor blades of wind turbines are sophisticated components adapted for converting incoming wind energy into rotational mechanical energy. The at least one rotor blade is installed at a hub of the rotor of the wind turbine. A rotation of the hub of the wind turbine is transferred to a main rotor shaft driving an electrical generator, typically via a mechanical gearbox.
Typically, a rotor blade of a wind turbine includes a plurality of mechanical and electrical components (e.g., bending moments and wind velocities are measured along the length of a rotor blade by means of different sensors). Furthermore, the environment of the wind turbine may interact with the at least one rotor blade (e.g., lightening strikes, bird impact and other environmental influences) and possibly damage the rotor blade of a wind turbine. Electrical components installed within a rotor blade of a wind turbine may also exhibit failures.
Thus, in some cases, a rotor blade of a wind turbine may be exchanged for maintenance and repair. The sensor components, electrical components including the pitch drive and electronic devices installed at a specific rotor blade usually are assigned individual identifiers or addresses. Thus, these components can be individually identified for sensing and controlling purposes.
In some cases, especially if a number of rotor blades of a wind turbine are exchanged, an individual position of a rotor blade or an order of a number of individual rotor blades may be changed during maintenance and repair work. Thus, it is possible that an individual rotor blade may be installed at a position of the hub of the rotor of the wind turbine which is different from its original position. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide independent monitoring of the rotational position and of a blade order of individual rotor blades of a wind turbine.